Archive for the ‘tell your children’ Category

Share |

The Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka

Saturday, February 4th, 2012

Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka led a life which was remarkable in many ways, not the least in its utter selflessness and extreme privacy.

She was born in 1901, the daughter of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak. Her remarkable abilities and keen intellect brought her father to entrust her with great responsibilities. In fact, she was actively involved in many of his activities to keep Judaism alive during the explosive years following the Russian Revolution and establishment of the Soviet state.

In 1927, when her father, the Previous Rebbe was arrested, it was Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka who made sure that all possibly incriminating documents were destroyed. Indeed, during his imprisonment, she was in the forefront of those seeking to commute the death sentence to one of exile, and then, finally to release.

A unique relationship existed between Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka and her father, and he wrote many deep, philosophical letters to her, in which he expounded his concepts of Chassidic thought and Divine service. Those who were privileged to know the Rebbetzin described her as a refined, erudite woman of very extensive knowledge and great intelligence and wit.

On the 14th of Kislev, 1929, Warsaw was at the peak of its glory, the “Jerusalem of Poland.” On that day, Rebbes of numerous Chasidic dynasties, world-renowned rabbis and heads of yeshivas, illustrious Jews of many walks of life gathered to celebrate the wedding of the daughter of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and the son of the brilliant scholar and kabbalist, Harav Levi Yitzchak Schneerson. The marriage of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka to Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson opened a new chapter in her life. Twenty-five years later, the Rebbe described the union as a marriage which

 

bound him to the Chasidim.

 

The early days of their marriage were ones of onerous hardship and great personal danger. First settling in Berlin, they were forced to flee to Paris after the Nazis came to power. They fled Paris in 1940 and through the strenuous efforts of the Previous Rebbe they succeeded in boarding the last ship to leave Europe. From the day they arrived in the United States, for the next 47 years, the Rebbetzin’s life was dedicated to only one thing – the wellbeing of her husband and the success of his mission in life.

It was Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka who urged her husband to assume the leadership of Chabad after the passing of her illustrious father in 1950. From that moment on, the Rebbetzin embarked on perhaps the most difficult mission of her life, for she spent the next four decades supporting every action and move the Rebbe took on behalf of the Jewish people.

Although she was entirely absent from the public eye, she took an avid interest in the work of the many thousands of emissaries, keeping abreast of their activities. The Rebbetzin took deep personal satisfaction in their accomplishments, and commiserated in their hardships.

For the Rebbetzin, her husband’s will became her own. She was his greatest Chasid. And yet, she had the wifely wisdom to look out for his health. Knowing that the Rebbe usually refused to see a doctor, she would make her own medical treatment contingent on his agreeing to a check-up. In order to assure her well-being, he would, of course, comply.

In her last years, when the Rebbetzin was ill, she suffered in silence, and to her last day, no complaint escaped her lips. Even to her husband she did not reveal all her suffering, in order to spare him distress. On the unanimous advice of several doctors the Rebbetzin was hospitalized. Soon after she arrived at the hospital she suddenly requested a glass of water. Shortly after midnight of Wednesday, the 22nd day of Shevat, the pure neshama of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka left this world. The Rebbetzin’s forebearers, Rebbetzin Rivka and Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah, her great-grandmother and grandmother, had asked for a glass of water minutes before their passing. It is recorded in many holy books that tzadikim often ask for water before their passing. One explanation that is given is that their souls thereby leave this world after reciting the proper blessing before drinking water, “…and everything is created through His word” and the blessing afterward “…He who creates many souls.” This same blessing will be said at the time of the resurrection of the dead in the Messianic Era.

In the merit of the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, may we follow the Rebbe’s injunction to take her life’s accomplishments to heart, and with our many deeds of goodness and kindness, may we see the coming of Moshiach now. Reprinted from www.LchaimWeekly.org – LYO / NYC


Posted in tell your children, Yitro #334 | No Comments »

The Identifying Fruit

Saturday, January 28th, 2012

A wealthy man by the name of Elimelech received many honors in the shul of the Rebbe, Rabbi Chaim of Antunia.  He had one of the important seats in the front, facing the congregation, near to the Rebbe’s own chair. At the tish, he also sat at the table near the Rebbe, who would show him various signs of favor.  For his part, Elimelech had great respect for the Rebbe. He would always bow his head before him, and contribute generously to the spectrum of charitable causes that the Rebbe maintained.  The chassidim, however, mostly did not think so highly of Elimelech, despite the affection the Rebbe openly displayed towards him. They suspected that his generous good deeds indicated only a superficial piety, and that at home he was not so religious as he appeared in public.  Sharper tongues said that he was influenced by the so-called Enlightenment movement and its innovations and that this had already weakened his Fear of Heaven.

 Okay, nobody’s perfect. And the rich man had a lot of redeeming qualities.  As long as any failings remained between him and his Creator, it was easy enough to turn a blind eye. But now, an uncrossable line had been crossed: his son had enrolled in their high school, something no youth from any religious family had yet dared to do, never mind one from a chassidic home and associated with the Rebbe, no less.

 

 “What kind of example is this for our children?” complained the delegation of chassidim to the Rebbe. “Can a person send his son to an anti-religious school and still have an honored place near the Rebbe?”

 

 The tsaddik was shaken by the report.  He summoned his wealthy follower. At first he spoke to him amicably, attempting to get him to see his mistake.  The rich man, who was nearly always submissive to the Rebbe’s opinions, this time kept firm.  “My son wants a broad education, to be able to make his way in the world-at-large.”

 

 

When the tsaddik saw he was getting nowhere, he changed his approach.  “A pure Jewish education in a G-d-fearing spirit is integral to Chassidus,” he roared.  “Until you take your son out of that school, I have no desire to see you among my chassidim.”

Elimelech stumbled out, dismayed.  How could he live without being near the Rebbe?  For several days he remained in a state of confusion.  It almost seemed that the Rebbe’s harsh words had slowly made their way into his heart.  In the end, though, he decided that he was right; there is nothing wrong if his son wants to acquire a broad education. The problem was only that the Rebbe was too extreme.  From that analysis came an obvious solution.  “I’ll just have to find a different Rebbe,” he said to himself.

 

 

This proved to be easy enough, and he soon found himself in the doorway of Rabbi Yisroel of Vizhnitz…none other the brother of the tsaddik of Altunia, the Rebbe he had just abandoned.  Known for the great love he had for every Jew, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe was friendly and welcoming to all.  He gave Reb Elimelech  a big smile, invited him to sit near him at the Shabbos tish, and exchanged friendly words with him each time they met. 

Elimelech was ecstatic with his ‘find.’  He felt so good with his new Rebbe.  Not only that, he felt reinforced that he had been right all along, and that his former Rebbe’s criticism was unjustified. 

 

One day shortly thereafter, the Vizhnitzer invited Elimelech to accompany him on his evening stroll to the park.  What an honor!  And a pleasure too—the air was so pleasant, and the gentle breeze rustled the leaves and thin branches of the trees that lined the path.

The Rebbe turned to his companion.  “These trees evoke in me the distant sweet memories of childhood.  I remember how once, in the days before Passover, the teacher’s wife chased us outside so she could clean the house. We had to set up in the front yard in order to learn.  We were small children, and although the teacher tried his best to get us to learn, we were too distracted–birds were chirping, a horse-drawn wagon rolled by, clouds on high floated over our heads–who could concentrate to study?  When our teacher saw it was hopeless, he decided to try to give us a nature lesson instead.  He pointed to the garden next door.  ‘Do you boys see that tree over there,’ he asked, to draw our attention.  ‘That’s a walnut tree.  And next to it is a pear tree.  And behind that is an apple tree.’  He continued on to identity all the different fruit trees for us.

 

“’How do you know?’ we asked, puzzled.  Winter had just ended, the trees were bare of fruit and leaves.  The teacher began to list different signs for us–the relative smoothness or bumpiness of the trunk, the quantity and thickness of the branches, the height of the tree, and so forth.  We, though, small children that we were, were not able to absorb his erudite explanation.”

 

The tsaddik clasped the wealthy man’s arm and continued his story.  “So how were we able to distinguish which tree was which?  Simple.  Or so it became after a few months when the trees began to bear fruit.  Then we know longer needed lessons or signs.  Which was the pear tree?  The one with the pears on it.  The one full of plums?  Obviously, a plum tree.  Each tree was easily identified by its fruit.  From this I learned an important principle,” said the Rebbe in conclusion.  “When you don’t know for sure the nature and stature of a person, look at his fruit–his descendants. From them you can know who the person really is.”

 

Elimelech got the message.  His true identity would be revealed through his children.

That same week Elimelech the rich man withdrew his son from the non-religious school.

 [Translated and adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from Sichat HaShavuah #547. First published in Kfar Chabad Magazine – English]    [Yerachmiel Tilles is the director of the AscentOfSafed.com and KabbalaOnline.org websites. His mailing list of 700+ weekly stories (editor@ascentofsafed.com) has now entered its 15th year. Ascent is a seminar-retreat center and hostel in Tzefat—call 972-4 692-1364 or in Israel 1-800 30-40-70.]

 

 

 

 


Posted in Beshalach #333, tell your children | No Comments »

Yud Shevat

Sunday, January 22nd, 2012

The Previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, passed away on Yud Shevat, 1950. Soon after the shiva was over, individual chasidim–from the most prominent of the elder chasidim to young yeshiva students–began approaching the Rebbe, begging him to accept the mantle of leadership.

Upon the completion of the thirty day period of mourning for the Previous Rebbe, the Rebbe received petitions with hundreds of signatures, from Israel, England, and D.P. Camps in Germany proclaiming the chasidim’s acceptance of the Rebbe as the Nasi–or leader, of Chabad-Lubavitch. But the Rebbe had not accepted the leadership. In fact, as an outward sign of his refusal, the Rebbe removed the long, black coat worn by chasidim for Shabbat and holidays that had been his garb during the entire 30 days of mourning and reverted to wearing a regular suit.

Though an Israeli newspaper from autumn, 1950, reported on a gathering of chasidim in Jerusalem from throughout the Holy Land at which point they “crowned” the Rebbe as the new Rebbe, the Rebbe did not accept the position or title. In fact, when the Rebbe found out that a Lubavitch emissary in England had printed new stationary listing his institution as being “under the leadership of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson,” the Rebbe sent the emissary a telegram insisting that all of the stationary be destroyed.

The Rebbe did accept the request of some chasidim for “yechidut” — a private audience with the Rebbe which involves the communing of souls. However, many more were refused than accepted.

As weeks and months passed, more and more chasidim began to publicly proclaim the Rebbe as the successor of the Previous Rebbe. The Jewish world at large also began to acknowledge the Rebbe’s leadership.

On the 26th of Tevet, two weeks before the first yartzeit of the Previous Rebbe, articles appeared in all of the New York Jewish papers stating that the chasidim had collectively given the Rebbe a “Pledge of Commitment,” accepting his leadership. The newspapers reported that the official acceptance by the Rebbe was expected to take place on the Tenth of Shevat.

 

When the Rebbe found out about the articles, he indicated to his secretary that the editors should be called and told, in the Rebbe’s name, that he had not agreed to accept the leadership on the Tenth of Shevat. Three elder chasidim spoke with the Rebbe at length, begging him not to insist on a retraction. “The newspapers didn’t say the Rebbe has accepted the leadership, only that the chasidim have accepted the Rebbe,” protested one of the chasidim. Eventually the Rebbe agreed that the newspapers did not have to be called.

And then the eve of Yud Shevat arrived. Representatives from Jewish communities throughout the world went to the Rebbe that evening and gave him “Pledges of Commitment” from their communities. The following morning, hundreds of chasidim went, together with the Rebbe, to the resting place of the Previous Rebbe. At the grave, the Rebbe read the personal letters that had been given to him to read at this holy site. A group of elder chasidim publicly read a collective “Pledge of Commitment” from all Chabad-Lubavitch chasidim and then handed it to the Rebbe. At first, the Rebbe refused to take the letter, but finally he accepted it. As he read it quietly to himself, the Rebbe cried bitterly.

A farbrengen, a public gathering of chasidim, was scheduled for the evening following the Tenth of Shevat. At 9:45 p.m. the Rebbe entered the crowded shul. Jews from all over, not just chasidim, had come to witness this momentous event. The Rebbe spoke and the chasidim sang for nearly an hour. And then, suddenly, one of the elder chasidim stood up and called out loudly, “The assembled beg the Rebbe to say a Chasidic discourse… Favor us with a Chasidic discourse.”

Until that time, the Rebbe had spoken at public gatherings numerous times, but did not generally share his own novel expositions on the Torah. Rather, he repeated and stressed the teachings of the Previous Rebbe. A Chasidic discourse, a deep, philosophical treatise of his own, however, would be unprecedented. Everyone held their breath and watched the Rebbe closely to see his reaction.

The Rebbe looked into the booklet in front of him for a moment, a copy of the Chasidic discourse, “Basi Legani” prepared by the Previous Rebbe to be given out on Yud Shevat one year earlier and began, “In the discourse that the Rebbe gave out for the day of his passing, the Rebbe begins with the words [from the Song of Songs], ‘I came into my garden.’”

Using, for the very first time, the special chasidic melody reserved for delivering a discourse, the Rebbe began to expound upon the Previous Rebbe’s discourse bringing in his own insights and explanations. It was clear to everyone present, that the Rebbe had finally accepted the leadership.

Reprinted from www.LchaimWeekly.org – LYO / NYC

 


Posted in Bo #332, tell your children | No Comments »

« Older Entries